In The Heat of The Night
by LunarLotus123
Summary: Arianna Bartlett isn't your everyday physician, she takes interest in "special" cases. Her colleague and friend, Hannibal Lecter, has one such case that may prove beneficial to the both of them. Rated M for gore, adult references, and sec.
1. Chapter 1

_**Chopin...such a great composer...  
**_  
_**The fluid notes...  
**_  
_**The crisp clean sound...  
**_  
_**It almost makes me forget the blood staining my skin...  
**_

_****_Standing over a young mans corpse was a woman that appeared to be in her late thirties, shoulder length strawberry blond hair that hung straight, framing her heart shaped face and golden brown eyes. _**  
**_

Her hands were red with blood and her pants suit has splatters of the red life fluid all over it.

"Shame...I could have learned alot from you," she muttered picking up a white towel from the kitchen table and wiping as much of the blood from her hands as she could, "They just don't last nearly long enough."

After wiping the majority of the blood from her hands, the blond woman looked over her work.

The man had several stab wounds, most of them precise, avoiding any of the major arteries and vital organs, his forearms were sliced neatly, the flesh peeled back to reveal the muscle tissue beneath, and his stomach had been sliced open, many of his organs removed but still connected.

Looking closely, she knelt down and picked up a scalpel she had left beside his body and carefully shifted the heart, turning and examining it, almost as if she were examining produce at a supermarket.

"Perhaps..." she muttered before also examining his liver, "If he wants any of this...I'd better-"

Almost as if on cue, her phone began ringing, Joyce DiDonato's Piangero La Sorte Mia playing from her breast pocket.

She took the phone out, looked at the name and smiled before answering, "Hello Hannibal. I was just about to call you."

"Arianna, I have some news for you," the doctor said, his voice soft and melodic.

"Oh? And what news could that be?"

"The FBI have started catching wind of your work...you may want to lay low for a while."

Hearing this, Arianna paused a moment, almost as if she were torn between the corpse at her feet and the man on the phone, "Alright. Thank you Hannibal. Oh, before I forget...I may have a few items for you."

"Are they lean?"

"Very. This man was a health enthusiast. No fat anywhere on his body...the heart is in excellent condition...his liver looks fairly healthy as well," she explained twirling the scalpel in her hand, "Should I bring you anything before I leave here?"

"The heart, lungs, and the liver. I have a dinner party this weekend and have quite a few guests coming over. I assume you will be attending?" Hannibal asked writing something down in his weekly planner.

"Of course, I never miss your parties," Arianna said with a smile as she knelt down, holding the phone to her ear with her should as she cut the heart, liver and lungs from the corpse, "As long as you make that wonderful cheesecake again."

"But of course. I will also be inviting a patient of mine."

"I thought you never invited your patients to your parties."

Hannibal smiled to himself, "He's not an actual patient. He's more of a friend I am keeping a close eye on."

"I see. So, should I bring anything other than the main courses?" Arianna asked placing the organs in a Tupperware container she had placed on the kitchen table.

"Just bring yourself and that lovely voice of yours," the psychiatrist said as he looked at the clock on his desk.

"Hannibal, you know I haven't sang in almost two years."

"Perhaps we can change that. I have to go, I have a patient coming in five minutes. Could you drop the meat off at my house when you're done. Do you still have the spare key?"

"Yes I do. I'll let you get to your patient, see you later tonight," she said before hanging up and putting the phone in her pocket, being careful not to get anymore blood on her clothes.

Looking over the corpse once more, Arianna simply shook her head and placed the cover on the tupperware, "Humans are such fragile beings..."

Once she wiped the outside of the container with her towel, the blond woman placed it in her large purse along with her scalpel, knife, and towel, pulled a pair of keys from the same bag and left, making sure to not leave any fingerprints as she closed the door behind her.

* * *

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

Upon arriving at Hannibal's house, Arianna looked down at her clothes before grabbing a trenchcoat from the back seat of her car and putting it on to hide the blood stains.

"I hope he doesn't mind me using his washer," she muttered to herself as she grabbed her big black purse and headed for the door.

After digging her spare key from her bag, the blond woman unlocked the front door and made a bee line for the kitchen.

"I'll let him prepare these," she muttered placing the container in the fridge, "I wouldn't want to ruin the main course for the party."

Upstairs, she had stepped into the guest bathroom and took her suit off and put a bath robe on while she went to put the clothes in the washer.

Back in the bathroom, Arianna began running some hot water in the shower before unlocking her phone and plugging it into the speakers she had begun leaving at Hannibal's simply for nights like this one.

Selecting a song, Ave Maria, Arianna smiled to herself as she hung the rose print silk bathrobe on the hook beside the closed door and stepped into the steaming shower, the water re-hydrating the dried blood that had seeped through her suit onto her skin and turning a light shade of red as it circled the drain.

_Ave Maria_  
_Gratia plena_  
_Maria, gratia plena_  
_Maria, gratia plena_

As she sang along to the operatic melody, Arriana ran her slender fingers through her silky blond hair, the water running through it down the curve of her back.

_Ave, ave dominus_  
_Dominus tecum_  
_Benedicta tu in muli eribus_  
_Et benedictus_  
_Et benedictus fructus ventris_  
_Ventris tuae, Jesus_  
_Ave Maria_

The blood had mostly washed of her skin, all that remained were a few spots where it had stuck fairly well, leaving a light red hue on her ivory skin before she took a washcloth and wiped it away.

_Ave Maria_  
_Mater Dei_  
_Ora pro nobis peccatoribus_  
_Ora pro nobis_  
_Ora, ora pro nobis peccatoribus_

After finishing washing her hair and body, Arianna stepped out of the shower and wrapped a dark red towel around her body.

Though she wasn't overly fond of it, Hannibal had chosen to decorate his home with red, green, and gold, it made sense considering his European background.

_Nunc et in hora mortis_  
_Et in hora mortis nostrae_  
_Et in hora mortis nostrae_  
_Et in hora mortis nostrae_  
_Ave Maria_

As the song finished and Arriana dried herself off, she noticed a pair of silver silk pajamas folded neatly on the counter she immediately recognized as Hannibal's.

A light blush came to her cheeks, realizing he had probably heard her singing, but Arianna pushed it from her mind as she slipped the long sleeved button down shirt on and the silk pants, tying them on so they wouldn't fall from her thin frame.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Hannibal was slicing an onion swiftly but carefully.

He was wearing a white dress shirt, a light grey waistcoat that had gold colored buttons, matching pants, and his signature apron.

Hearing footsteps on the stairs, he smiled but didn't look up from what he was doing, "I hope you enjoyed your shower."

"I did," Arianna said entering the kitchen and sitting across from Hannibal at the island, "I hope you don't mind. I didn't want to draw any unwanted attention."

"Not at all. My home is always open to you," Hannibal replied placing the thin slices of onions into a frying pan before going to his wine cooler and pulling a bottle out, "After all, what kind of host would I be if I became angry with you for wanting to clean yourself?"

Arianna smiled and gently rested her chin on her right hand, "You are such a gracious host."

As he poured her a glass of the light pink wine, the psychiatrist couldn't help but let out a small chuckle, "Is that so? I just extend the hand of hospitality...Here, it's a rose petal wine one of my patients gave me. It has a very sweet flowery aroma and a slight oak taste."

Accepting the glass from him, Arianna took a smell of the wine and smiled, "I've never heard of rose petal wine before. Your patient must be quite talented."

"He is. He made another one for me out of pomegranates and lemon that is rather nice," Hannibal said as he turned back to the meal he was preparing, gently stirring the onions to keep them from burning, "Would you like to stay the night?"

After taking a sip, Arianna shook her head gently, "I appreciate the offer, but Ii'm not sure if I could take advantage of your hospitality."

"You're not, I was simply asking because of the storm outside," he replied going back to the island and slicing up what looked to be a steak, "It's just started but it may pick up while you are driving home."

"Storm?" she asked looking out the kitchen window, somewhat surprised to see a fairly heavy rainstorm, "Well then, I guess I may stay after all."

"Good, I would hate for something to happen to you. I must say though," he said slicing the meat into thin strips and seasoning it with garlic and pepper, "For not having sung in two years...you have not lost your touch."

This made Arianna blush ever so slightly, "If this is you trying to get me to sing at your party this weekend, you can forget it."

"I will not force you into anything, I simply wanted to compliment you on your amazing voice," Hannibal replied gingerly placing the slices of meat into the pan with the onions, "It is a shame you gave up your hobby in theater."

"Well, I had to focus on my work. My hobby was getting in the way," Arianna explained taking another sip of her wine, "Besides, now that I'm focusing on work, you don't have to do too much of your own 'shopping' anymore."

This brought a smile to the corner of the mans lips, "So, who was this one anyway?"

"He was a patient of mine. A 'friend' of mine found some old files on him. Convicted child molester, but got out on good behavior. He got what he deserved."

"I agree. One less sexual predator on the streets, who can argue with that?"

Arianna nodded and saw that he was almost done cooking, "Should I set the table?"

"I already have. You're my guest dear, do not think I will make you work for your supper," Hannibal explained as he took the pan off of the stove and began arranging the slices of meat and onions on two plates, a small bed of lettuce on each one as well as a small ring of red sauce, "Besides, I owe you for the meat."

"Hannibal, you don't owe me a thing. I told you when I started this I was doing it to pay you back for helping me through my sisters death," Arianna replied finishing her glass of wine and watching him plate the food.

Once he finished, Hannibal picked the plates up and smiled at Arianna, "I hope you are hungry."

"For your cooking? Always," she replied following him to the dining room where he had two places set for them.

At the center of the table was a simple bouquet of white roses and pink lilies with a lit candle on either side of it.

"Please."

Arianna looked over to see that Hannibal had pulled a seat out for her and was smiling as he motioned for her to sit.

As soon as she sat down and Hannibal moved her chair in, the woman smiled and looked at the beautifully presented dinner before her, "This is beautiful Hannibal...you've really outdone yourself this time."

"Thank you, more wine?" he asked holding the bottle from earlier as he walked back from the kitchen.

"Dr. Lecter, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were trying to get me intoxicated," Arianna said with a slight chuckle as he poured her another glass.

"Luckily you _do _know better," Hannibal replied pouring himself a glass as well and sitting down, "Now then, shall we?"

Arianna nodded and picked up her knife and fork, gently cutting a piece of the meat and placing it in her mouth, smiling as she chewed and savored it.

"I take it you like it?" Hannibal asked before he too took a bite.

"Yes...you know, it's your simple recipes like this that I feel are the best ones," she replied taking a sip of wine.

The two smile, talked and laughed as they ate dinner, ignoring the storm outside as they did.

"Oh my...it's 11:30. If I am not mistaken we both have work in the morning," Hannibal said preparing to gather their dishes when Arianna beat him to it.

"Yes, I'll take care of these. You cooked, it's the least I can do," she replied standing up and carrying the dishes to the kitchen.

Hannibal knew it was pointless to argue so he simply blew out what was left of the candles and carried their wine glasses into the kitchen, sipping at his own, "You know...silver is a good color on you..."

"Aw, thank you," she replied smiling at him as she ran the hot water over one of the plates, the soap and bits of food running off.

With a smile, he walked over and set her glass beside the sink, "Perhaps you should wear it more often. Black and cream get a little repetitive, don't you think?"

"I don't know. Even if I did, it'd just be hidden under my lab coat all day," Arianna replied rinsing the last fork and drying her hands off, "What would the point be then?"

"Perhaps I just think some change would be good for you."

After drying her hands, Arianna turned to Hannibal and picked up her wine glass, "So, shall we turn in?"

"That sounds good to me," Hannibal replied finishing his wine and setting the glass in the sink, and taking her hand gently.

His hands always caught Arianna off guard, despite them being so big, they were soft and gentle.

As they ascended the stairs, she felt him squeeze her hand ever so slightly before stopping outside of the guest bedroom.

"Well...good night," the psychiatrist with a gently smile.

Arianna watched his expression before standing on her toes and placing a gentle kiss on his lips, "Would you rather I stayed in your room?"

Hannibal simply smiled and pulled her in close, his arm hooking around her waist and his lips dancing across hers, "I don't see why not.."

The two quickly vanished into Hannibal's room, the door closing swiftly behind them before the lights were flicked off.

* * *

Authors Note: I am aware that Hannibal is not psychologically likely to be in a romantic relationship. As a diagnosed sociopath, I get that. Please, don't hate until the story unfolds more.

To be continued...


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Arianna awoke in Hannibal's silk covered king sized bed, her lover already gone to work.

Sitting up, she instinctively held the sheet over her naked form and moved to the edge of the bed, her feet brushing the red carpet lining the room.

To her surprise, Hannibal had dried, ironed and hung her suit for her on the bedroom door.

"That man is gonna spoil me rotten," Arianna commented with a smile as she walked over, her under garments folded neatly on his vanity.

Once she was dressed, her hair fixed into a neat bun and a dark red lipstick applied, the blond woman was ready for her day.

Downstairs, she slipped her two inch work heels on and hurried out to her car, hoping she wouldn't be too late for work.

* * *

"Doctor Bartlett, your first patient is in exam room one."

Arianna's clinic was nothing big, it was a small four room house she had payed to have turned into the clinic it was now. There was the waiting room, the old living room, the receptionist desk was placed where the opening to the kitchen once was, the kitchen had become the filing area since it was plenty big for all of the cabinets, and the two bedrooms were now exam rooms.

"Thank you Mary," Arianna said as she briskly walked into her clinic and grabbed the lab coat she had hanging behind the receptionists desk, "Do you have-"

"His file is right here," the brunette nurse replied handing Arianna a manila envelope and smiling, "He's complaining about his stomach pains again."

Arianna briefly looked it over and nodded, "Right, thank you again. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Mary watched the doctor enter the exam room, staring only a moment longer after the door closed before going back to her filing.

* * *

"Alright Mr. Pritchett, how can I help you today?"

Sitting on the exam bed was an older man, about fifty with greying brown hair, blue eyes, and looked to be about ten or fifteen pounds overweight.

"Dr. Bartlett, it's my ulcer. It's been acting up worse than usual lately," he explained gingerly placing a hand on his stomach.

"Have you been sticking to the diet we established on your last visit?" Arianna asked placing a blood pressure cuff on his arm and pumping it up.

"Yeah, of course," he said quickly before pausing, "Well, my wife and I went to her sisters for a few weeks...her sister is from Georgia and cooks alot of southern home comfort food."

"Ah, there's your problem right there. Alot of southern cooking has grease, **a lot **of tomato and other high acidic foods. I can prescribe you something to dull the pain, but it'll only be a temporary fix. If you want the pain to stop, you need to stick to the diet," she explained taking the cuff off and pulling her prescription pad from her lab coat pocket, "So how is your wife?"

"She's fine," Mr. Pritchett replied smiling a bit, "She wanted to invite you to our Easter dinner this weekend."

Smiling, Arianna handed him the prescription, "I wish I could, I've already got plans though. Tell Kathy I'd love to any other time though."

Mr. Pritchett nodded and accepted the paper from her before leaving, "Alright, have a good one."

"You too," Arianna replied following him to the waiting room and picking up the sign in sheet, "Alright, Ms. Crawford?"

A woman, dark skinned with a thin yet athletic frame stood up and smiled as she walked over, "Dr. Bartlett."

"Right this way," Arianna said leading her to the second exam room while Mary cleaned the first one.

Once the door was closed, Arianna set a file on the counter in the room and looked to her patient, "So Bella, what brings you into my office today?"

"Well, for the last few weeks, my breathing has started becoming painful and my chest feels really tight," she explained removing her suit jacket and laying it on the exam bed, "My husband thinks it's stress but..."

Arianna raised and eyebrow as Bella sat on the bed, "But?"

It was obvious she was struggling with what she was trying to say, "I...I've been coughing...alot...and there's been blood a few times..."

Hearing this, the doctor grew a bit concerned, "Alright, why don't you remove your shirt for me and I can listen to your heart."

Bella nodded and pulled her white dress shirt off, a slight chill running over her as the cool air contacted her skin.

Putting her stethoscope on, Arianna gently placed the end on her back, "Deep breath in..."

After listening around for a few minutes, she took it off and grabbed a blood pressure cuff, "Have you changed anything lately? Daily Exercises? Diet?"

"No," Bella explained holding her arm out, "Nothing. It just started one day as a dull pain and started getting progressively worse. "

After making a note of her BP and such, Arianna sighed and looked over the file, "I'd like to take a blood sample and send it to the lab for testing, meanwhile, I'm going to refer you to a respiratory specialist at the hospital."

"Alright. Um," Bella started as she put her shirt back on, "If possible, could you not tell Jack about this?"

"Of course. I always respect doctor-patient confidentiality," Arianna replied pulling a blood drawing kit from a drawer and putting a pair of latex gloves on.

After drawing the blood, Arianna put the three vials in a padded envelope and wrote out a referral before signing it, "If you take this to him, he will clear his schedule and make time for you. All you have to do is walk in, I'll have Mary call ahead so he knows you're coming."

"Thank you Doctor Bartlett," she said with a smile accepting the letter and picking her coat up.

"You don't have to thank me. What kind of doctor would I be if I didn't take care of my patients?" Arianna asked leading her back to the waiting room and handing the envelope to Mary, "This needs to get to the lab, top priority, and call Dr. Wilcox. Let him know I'm sending him a referral."

Mary took the envelope and quickly set to work while Arianna bid goodbye to Bella and called the next patient back.

* * *

It was a little after one when Arianna finally got a moment to sit down, "Cold and flu season...got to love it."

"Dr. Bartlett," Mary said opening the exam room door and poking her head in, "There's someone here to see you."

"Tell them to fill out the paperwork and I will get to them shortly," she replied with a tired smile.

"I am not a patient though."

Smiling, she turned to the door, not bothering to stand up, "So now you do office visits?"

Hannibal thanked Mary and stepped into the exam room, closing the door behind him, "Not usually, but I went home to make lunch when I noticed you hadn't taken the one I made for you. I didn't want you to get sick from not eating."

"You really are too sweet for your own good," Arianna replied smiling and pulling a chair out of the corner of the room for him, "Thank you."

Sitting down, he placed a couple of glass travel containers on the counter and sat down, "I also wanted to visit you as your therapist."

It was then that Arianna realized what day it was, "Oh...yeah..."

"You buried yourself in work again didn't you?"

As he opened the containers and handed one to her, Hannibal watched her carefully, watching for any tells in her behavior.

"I-I've just been so busy," she replied accepting the spring salad he gave her, "I...I haven't really had time to, well..."

"Arianna," he said sitting down and looking her in the eye, "You cannot keep doing this. Hiding your emotions in your work, it's going to tear you apart slowly."

"I know, it's just..." Arianna stopped mid sentence, pushing the lettuce around with her fork, "I had gotten over my mourning period...it's been a year now, it shouldn't bother me this much..."

"You lost your sister, no amount of time can ever fix that," Hannibal explained taking the bowl from her hands and placing it back on the counter before grasping her hands gently, "She was your older sister, that's a part of you that can never be replaced."

Arianna bit back her tears and squeezed his hands a bit, "I know but...they caught her killer...it shouldn't bother me this much..."

Hannibal watched her a moment before leaving the room for a minute and coming back, "Your schedule has been cleared. Come with me."

"But, I can't. I've got patient-"

"They will understand, you need some time today to deal with this," Hannibal replied packing their lunches back up and holding his hand out to her.

Though she wanted so badly to tell him no and go back to her work, Arianna knew he wouldn't leave her alone about it, so she took his hand and stood up, "Alright, lead the way."

He smiled sweetly at her and lead Arianna out of the exam room, stopped at the desk to get her things, then lead her out to his car.

They drove for about ten minutes before Arianna spoke up, "Where are we going?"

"To give you some closure," Hannibal replied glancing over at her right hand which was twitching slightly.

Without taking his eyes off of the road, the psychiatrist reached over to the glove compartment, pulled a pack of cigarettes out and handed them to Arianna, "You need them."

"Didn't you say they were just a crutch?" she asked, though the blond doctor wasted no time in opening and pulling one of the smokes out and placing it between her lips.

"They are, but they can also be a coping mechanism despite their obvious negative effects on your health," Hannibal replied as they turned a corner.

As she lit her smoke up, Arianna inhaled deeply, rolling the window down with her free hand before exhaling slowly, "Hannibal...can you please just tell me where we're going?"

"Look for yourself."

A glance out the windshield revealed that they had arrived at the local cemetery, a place Arianna had avoided like the plague since her sisters funeral.

"Why are we _here?" _she asked, her voice noticeably shaken.

"Like I said, we are going to bring you closure."

After parking, Hannibal got out of the car and walked over to the passenger side, opening the door for her, "Shall we?"

Arianna sat there a moment, unsure of whether or not she should get out before giving in and stepping onto the asphalt, "Can we please make this quick?"

"We do not have to stay long. I do want you to stay for a few minutes at least though," he said taking an umbrella out of the glove compartment as grey clouds started moving in over head.

Once he was sure they were ready, Hannibal gently took Arianna's arm and lead her through the tombstones, their pace slow and steady to ensure she wasn't pushed too far too quickly.

The two stopped at one headstone decorated with carvings of celtic crosses and a holy trinity just above the name, 'Merriam Bartlett, Beloved Wife and Loving Sister, 10/19/1981-4/19/2013'.

Though there was a silence between them, Hannibal knew Arianna was silently fighting a battle with herself over their being there.

"H-Hannibal..." she muttered crossing her arms over her chest, "I...I don't..."

"Just take your time. I told you, you need this closure."

Again, silence.

If it weren't for the rain that had gently started falling, it may have seemed if the world was muted in that moment.

Hannibal opened the umbrella and held it so that both he and Arianna were protected from the falling rain as it picked up.

"Figures...it had to rain _today_," she muttered feeling a few tears roll down her cheeks, "Hannibal, can we go please? I can't do this right now..."

"Alright," he said hearing the distraught in her voice, "We'll go back to my office and finish our lunch."

Without arguing, Arianna took his arm as they began walking back to the car, silent tears falling from her cheeks as they did.

* * *

To be continued...


	4. Chapter 4

Hannibal had taken Arianna home, rather than his office, after visiting her sisters grave, in hopes that it would be a bit more comforting.

"Are you alright?" he asked as they pulled up to her small blue house, putting his car in park.

"Why shouldn't I be?" she replied quietly keeping her gaze fixed out the window, her voice betraying her attempts to remain strong.

"Going through a serious trauma, the human body may not completely recover for a long period of time, perhaps never," the psychiatrist replied getting out of the car and opening the umbrella once more to allow her to exit the car without being hit by the rain, "It is the anniversary after all."

Arianna hesitated to leave the car, but only for a moment before she took his hand and stepped onto the sidewalk, "It may have been two years...but it still seems as if it were yesterday."

Hannibal closed the car door before leading Arianna to her door, his free arm holding her a bit close, "It is never easy losing a loved one. I never did get over the loss of my own sister."

The blond physician fumbled with her keys before dropping them, her fingers trembling a bit.

Seeing this, Hannibal knelt down and picked them up before unlocking the door for her and guiding her in to the sofa she had in the living room, "Would you like me to make you some tea?"

"Yes...please," Arianna replied quietly, her fingers absent mindedly fiddling with a heart shaped locket around her neck.

"You know," Hannibal stated as he went to the kitchen and put the tea pot on the stove, "If you'd like, I can talk to a friend of mine in the FBI to see if he has the case file. Perhaps seeing what became of the killer could bring you peace of mind."

"I know what happened to him," she stated clenching her jaw a bit, "He was sentenced to death by lethal injection...and yet...it did nothing for my peace of mind. The only thing I could think of was how his death was quick and mostly painless while he made my sister suffer for three days before finally slowly killing her with his bare hands as he squeezed the life from her heart..."

"I take it you attended the sentence then?" Hannibal asked as he poured the boiling water into two glass mugs, each with a small tea bag in it.

"I did..." Arianna said clenching her hand around the locket, "And do you know what that bastard did just before they gave him the final injection? He laughed...he laughed and stated if he could, he would do it all over again...only this time he would make it last longer... "

After putting a couple teaspoons of honey in her mug, Hannibal walked back into the living room and handed it to her, sitting down beside her as he did, "Some people are monsters Arianna. It is a simple fact of life."

Arianna took the mug and cupped it in her hands, "She was going to get married...her fiancee still hasn't spoken to me since the execution...I thought she'd like a few of my sisters belongings but..."

As she trailed off, Hannibal set his mug down on the coffee table and gently placed his hand on her cheek, "Arianna, I know what you are thinking...it wasn't your fault."

"How can you be so sure?" she snapped, biting back a few tears, "If I hadn't called her...if I hadn't asked her to go to my office...He was one of my patients Hannibal!"

Hearing this, Hannibal let out a heavy sigh and took the cup from her hands, "Arianna, it wasn't your fault. That man could've have gotten you or your sister. The universe never makes things fair."

Arianna clenched her fists before turning to Hannibal and embracing him, her face burried in his chest as she began sobbing, "It's not right! It should've been me!"

Hannibal had heard this many times before, family blaming themselves for the loss of their siblings or parents, claiming they should've been taken instead, though he didn't say it, he was grateful it wasn't her that had been taken. She meant far too much to the psychiatrist.

"If I hadn't been at that damned performance...she would still be here," the physician gasped, her hands grasping his jacket lightly.

"Arianna, like I said, you couldn't have seen what was going to happen. You need to stop blaming yourself for what was beyond your control," Hannibal whispered holding her head close to his chest, breathing in her scent as he tried to consoler her.

"It doesn't matter...I put my damned hobby ahead of my sisters life..." she murmurred letting out a trembling gasp.

"Is that why you stopped singing?" Hannibal inquired pulling a kerchief from his pocket and sitting her up, "You blame your singing on the cause of her death?"

Arianna kept her gaze cast down as he dabbed the tears from her cheeks, "I don't know...I-I just..."

"Perhaps you should try it again. It has been a full year now. Perhaps it will help the recovery process," he suggested with a slight smile lifting her chin up gently, "You never know. Burying yourself in your work only hides the pain, you need to start the healing process if you ever want to move on."

Though she wanted him to be wrong, Arianna knew, deep down, he was most likely right. She needed to move on.  
"A-Alright," she finally managed as a couple more tears rolled down her cheek, a ghost of a smile dancing across her crimson painted lips.

Hannibal returned the smile before handing her the mug of tea once more, "If you like, you may come to my office to start slowly working on this."

Arianna took a small sip of the tea, rose hips and lemon, one of her favorites, then looked him in the eye, "Perhaps I should just try your dinner party and see how it works out."

"If you feel confident enough, then we could do that."

She took another sip of tea before turning to Hannibal and gently kissing him on the lips, "Thank you, Hannibal...for everything."

Hannibal returned the kiss, pulled back and gently placed a kiss on her forehead, "Of course Arianna. Anything for you."

They remained on the sofa, simply enjoying one anothers company as they finished their tea before Hannibal looked at his watch, "Sadly, I must go. I've got to prepare for the dinner party tomorrow."

"Would you like me to come help?" Arianna asked standing up as he started walking to the door.

"I appreciate the offer, but I wouldn't want to impose," Hannibal replied with a kind smile.

"You're not. You did clear my schedule for the day after all, and I'm not sure I'm comfortable being alone right now."

Hannibal couldn't help but smirk to himself, "Well, if that is the case, come with me. I wouldn't want you to feel alone at a time like this."

Arianna nodded and grabbed her purse and coat, "Thank you."

"Would you mind slicing those onions?"

Hannibal was now standing in his kitchen, his white apron surprising clean as he began preparing the organs Arianna had brought to him.

"Of course," Arianna replied walking over and picking up the three red onions from the counter, a white apron tied around her waist as well, "Slices or chopped?"

"Slices please. The Vidalia onions need to be diced though," he explained gently placing slices of the liver into a baking pan that was lined with a very thin layer of olive oil and finely sliced red cabbage.

Arianna picked up the chefs knife she had been using on the carrots then began slicing the onions, "So, will any familiar faces be attending?"

"Nobody that you would know unless they happen to be your patients at the clinic."

"I see," she replied placing the slices in a bowl and placing the bowl in the fridge, "So...you want me to sing in front of complete strangers?"

"I told you I will not force you to sing if you do not wish," Hannibal explained placing plastic wrap over the pan and placing it in the fridge as well, "This is entirely up to you."

As she picked up the Vidalia onions and began dicing them, Arianna paused a moment, she knew he was right about her needing to move on but it seemed easier said than done.

"Arianna?" Hannibal asked walking over, stopping just behind her and placing his hands on her shoulders, "Are you alright?"

"Hm?" she replied looking back at him a bit, "Oh, yes...The stress must be getting to me..."

Feeling his hands on her shoulders though, Arianna felt safer and calmer than she had before.

"Hannibal," she muttered quietly, turning to face the psychiatrist, "What am I supposed to do? I feel as if I don't know anymore..."

"That I cannot tell you," Hannibal stated gently taking her chin in his hand, "But what I can tell you, if that you cannot let this pain swallow you like this."

Seeing the kind look in his eye, Arianna couldn't help but smile a little before turning back to the onions she had begun dicing.

Hannibal paused a moment, breathing in her scent as he remained standing beside her, "Arianna, I would like to show you something."

"What about-"

"Preparation can wait," Hannibal explained gently reaching around and placing a hand on her wrist, "We have until tomorrow after all."

Arianna was tempted to argue with him, but feeling his fingers slide down her hand and take the knife from her hands, she knew it was pointless, "Alright."

Taking her hand in his, Hannibal led Arianna to his back yard where his flowers and herbs were just starting to bloom.

Though the rain had stopped and the clouds had cleared, the air was still a bit brisk and chilled, the smell of fresh rain filling the air.

"Arianna, you know I'm not much of a gardener," the psychiatrist stated with a smile, "But, thanks to the advice your sister gave me, I now have a flourishing herb garden as well as some very healthy rose bushes too."

"She always did have a green thumb," Arianna commented taking notice of one bush in particular.

The roses were a deep shade of violet red, their petals dotted with the leftover drops of rain.

"Arianna, your sister was an incredible woman. If you keep dwelling on her death," Hannibal explained grabbing a pair of garden shears and cutting one of the roses for her, "You won't be able to see the good she's left behind."

Arianna accepted the rose from him and smiled, "Thank you Hannibal..."

The color was rich and the scent heavenly, bringing a genuine smile to her lips.

"I will leave you to your thoughts. You can rejoin me inside when you are ready," Hannibal stated quietly returning to the kitchen to finish preparing for the next days dinner party.

* * *

To be continued...


End file.
